“Jos Buttler Had a Small..” Sanju Samson Explains the Reason behind Demoting the RR Opener

After a disappointing loss against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at their second home ground in Guwahati, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Sanju Samson revealed why all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin earned a batting promotion to open the innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal instead of incumbent opener Jos Buttler. On Wednesday, the RR fans were baffled when Ashwin walked out to open the innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal – it was the first time in a decade that Ashwin had performed the role of opening the batting in an IPL game.

Buttler, who scored a match-winning 22-ball 54 against SRH in RR’s season opener, was the designated opener on the team sheet, but he didn’t come out to open the batting. At first, it seemed like it was a tactical move to save Buttler from the in-form Arshdeep Singh. But later it was revealed that Buttler was nursing a finger injury and was not ready to open the batting which is why Ashwin was chosen to open the batting. An injury while fielding towards the end of the first innings meant that Buttler wasn’t able to open the batting in a mammoth run chase against the Punjab Kings. The England white-ball captain was getting some stitches to his finger soon after he came out of the field post the first innings.  

Despite having a regular opener in the playing XI like Devdutt Padikkal, the Royals management decided to go ahead with Ashwin.  This move, however, did not quite work to the Royals’ benefit as Ashwin was ultimately dismissed for a four-ball duck in the fourth over. Batting at number 5, Padikkal largely struggled to get his timing right during his 26-ball 21 which sapped the momentum.

“Buttler Was Getting Stitches,” Says Samson

“Jos had a small injury, he got injured while fielding and was getting stitches. The physio wanted some time, which wasn’t there to finish the stitches and then go out to open. The thinking of sending Ashwin (to open) and holding everyone back, thinking to hold Devdutt Padikkal in the middle overs was to especially face the spinners they had. They had a leg-spinner and a left-arm spinner bowling in the middle overs. Padikkal, a left-hander batting in the middle and getting a couple of sixes, was the planning,” reasoned Royals’ skipper Sanju Samson.

Buttler came out to bat at number 3. He got a reprieve early in the innings when he was dropped in the deep square leg of Sam Curran’s bowling while attempting a pull shot. Star of the evening for PBKS with the ball- Nathan Ellis got him out for 19(11). Post his departure, skipper Samson (42), Shimron Hetmyer (36), and Dhruv Jurel (32*) tried to push their team across the line but failed to do so. RR fell short of the target by 5 runs.